RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment has charged a man in relation to a hate motivated crime that occurred in Middle Sackville.
On January 17, shortly before 9 p.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment responded to a report of an assault that occurred outside a restaurant on Sackville Dr. RCMP officers learned that two men were involved in a verbal altercation inside the restaurant. The altercation moved outside after racial slurs were expressed by one man. The same man then assaulted the other individual with a sensory irritant before fleeing on foot.
The victim, a 30-year-old Lower Sackville man, suffered minor injuries. He was treated at the scene by EHS.
At approximately 11:15 p.m., RCMP officers located the 31-year-old Sackville man involved in the incident, at the Halifax Transit terminal on Cobequid Rd., and safely arrested him.
Information gathered by investigators indicates that the offence was motivated by hate, based on the race of the victim.
Scott Alonzo Merk, 31, has been charged with:
- Assault with a Weapon
- Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
- Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
- Possession of a Weapon Contrary to an Order
Merk appeared in court yesterday and was remanded into custody. He will return in Dartmouth Provincial Court on February 8, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.
The RCMP takes incidents of hate with utmost seriousness and condemns these criminal acts.
File #: 24-7442
Note: Halifax District RCMP has rebranded to RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment. We continue to operate from Lower Sackville, Tantallon, Cole Harbour, Musquodoboit Harbour, Middle Musquodoboit, Sheet Harbour and North Preston. Our strategically located offices ensure that our services are accessible and responsive to the diverse needs of residents in these areas.
-via RCMP
